Docs In Progress also begins a new round of classes in downtown Silver Spring, MD next week:

Documentary Filmmaking from A to Z
April 15-May 20 (six consecutive Wednesdays) 7-9 pm
How can you identify and tell your documentary story effectively while maintaining focus throughout the filmmaking process? Participants will develop a proposal and budget and learn strategies for planning production, editing, and distribution. Open to new and experienced filmmakers.

Documentary Fundraising
April 14-May 19 (six consecutive Tuesdays) 7-9 pm
This workshop provides participants with concepts and tools that can help documentary filmmakers complete their documentary projects by securing resources necessary to do so. Participants will learn how to develop a fundraising plan, track the fundraising effort, conduct donor research, conduct a fundraising drive, and solicit grants from corporations and foundations. Open to new and experienced filmmakers.

What Is Documentary? (Documentary Appreciation)
April 16-May 21 (five consecutive Thursdays) from 7-9 pm
Through seeing and discussing clips from many documentaries (and additional film viewing outside of class), participants will understand more about documentary film language; different approaches to voice and point of view; and the ethical issues faced by documentary filmmakers in presenting their takes on truth. Open to non-filmmakers as well as filmmakers.

Documentary Production
April 18-May 30 (six consecutive Saturdays from 9 am-12 noon/no class May 23)
This hands-on workshop focuses on how to plan, shoot and edit. Participants will work in teams to produce a 3-5 minute video. Open to new filmmakers.

Advance registration is highly recommended. To register, visit the Docs In Progress website at http://www.docsinprogress.org or contact Adele Schmidt at (301) 789-2797 or adeleATdocsinprogressDOTorg

We are currently accepting films for the 2009 American Conservation Film Festival until June 1. The Festival will take place November 5-8, 2009 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Our mission is to promote outstanding films that educate and inspire people to become engaged in conservation. Ideally we would like to present films that:
• Show humans as part of the environment, and/or living in a continuum of cultural tradition.
• Present stories about the natural World/Ancient culture.
• Explore human's/culture's relationship with the environment and or cultural roots.
• Explore ways we connect with the natural world, and history.
• Explore issues driven by natural resource conservation.
• Explore our relationship with the environment and our efforts to conserve what we can and how we cope with what we can't save.

We encourage both professional and student filmmakers to submit. Additionally, all filmmakers are encouraged to participate in our Traveling Festival.
Student filmmakers are eligible to compete for cash awards in our annual student filmmaking competition.
There is no fee for submission. If your film is selected, you will be invited to attend the festival and the American Conservation Film Festival will provide lodging and meals.
Please download the submission form from our website, www.conservationfilm.org, and send it along with a copy of your film.

Documentaries in HiDef
A Workshop on Broadcast-Quality Documentary Production
Oaxaca, Mexico, July 5-16, 2009

This 10-day workshop focuses on the production of broadcast-quality High Definition documentaries. Emmy-award winners videographer and editor Dan Duncan and host David Yetman from the PBS and Discovery Channel Series “The Desert Speaks” will direct the workshop. Participants will be divided by experience into groups no larger than 5 and receive instruction in filming on location and in post-production editing to produce a final broadcast quality documentary.

Participants will have the opportunity to film in such places as Oaxaca City, Teotitlán del Valle, the Mixteca, and Oaxaca's desert valleys and on such topics as Oaxaca’s street musicians and the colonial organs of Oaxaca’s pueblos. Other video projects will be considered

Participants will join in seminar sessions and on-location visits to the CIESAS (Mexico’s Institute of research in Social Anthropology) Laboratorio Visual and INHA (Mexico’s National Institute of History and Anthropology) program of ethnographic documentaries. Evenings will feature the presentation of documentaries and discussion with the producers. These will include James Cullingham, Toronto-based documentary producer and Ph.D. student at York University, and Ethelia Ruz, INHA ethnographic documentary producer. Participants who have produced documentaries are encouraged to bring them to the workshop for screening and discussion.

Participants receive a certificate of completion at the end of the workshop.

Costs and logistics:
The participation fee for the workshop is $1950 dollars that includes the use of the latest high definition video and sound equipment and editing programs, and the cost of field trips (with translators when necessary). Some financial aide is available on a competitive basis. For an additional cost, participants can request housing with a Mexican family ($17 US a night for separate bedroom and breakfast) or hotel ($60 US a night for room in a moderate priced hotel within walking distance of the workshop). For travel arrangements, there are flights to Oaxaca from Mexico City or convenient bus travel of 5 hours. The workshop staff can provide additional information.

Our next DocuClub screening will take place on Wednesday, April 29, 6 p.m., at The Tank, located at 354 West 45th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues, near Times Square).

Our moderator will be A.M. Peters. Peters' independent film banner, Dinomonster Films, develops and produces documentaries and feature films, as well as music and corporate videos offering a fresh style and perspective on characters and culture. Her produced scripts include such animated shorts "Jack Quack (The Path)" and "Corporate Whore," and the comedy Electronic Devices. Peters worked as the Assistant to Academy-Award nominated director Nanette Burstein on the documentary "American Teen." She has also worked with other clients such as Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch. Peters’ most recent film, "No Cross, No Crown," will screen at Patois: The 6th Annual New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival.

We will screen "Lil Poison" by Beth Earl. At five years old, Victor De Leon III is the youngest professional video game player in the world. "Lil Poison" follows Victor and his father/manager, SicVic, as they travel to video game tournaments across the country hoping to win prize money, score sponsorship deals and place in the top sixteen of the Major League Gaming circuit. Gaming gives them the opportunity to travel, earn money and recognition, and escape their financial woes and family predicament. The documentary offers insight into this gaming world and shows us the life of a kid who could become the poster child for his generation.

Director and producer Beth Earl is the founder of Massive Productions. She graduated with a degree in International Relations from Brown University, and went on to get a certificate in digital filmmaking from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Beth worked with Albert Maysles on his upcoming project, "In Transit." "Lil Poison" is her first documentary.

Admission is free for current DocuClub members and $5 for non-members.

About DocuClub
DocuClub is Arts Engine’s monthly film screening series of works-in-progress documentaries. For more info, please go to: www.docuclub.org.

About The Tank
The Tank is a non-profit arts presenter whose mission is to provide a welcoming, creative, collaborative, and affordable environment for artists and activists engaged in the pursuit of new ideas. Through a wide range of low-cost, high-concept arts and public affairs programming, The Tank seeks to cultivate a new generation of audience for live performance, civic discourse, and the work of emerging artists.

This Master Class is part of several May weekend events and talks for Longinotto’s film retrospective at MoMA, May 7-23. For a full retrospective schedule visit MoMA at www.moma.org.

Longinotto is renowned as a purveyor of cinéma vérité and lauded by critics for her sensitive treatment of groundbreaking subject matter, and rarely seen perspectives from around the globe. She will share clips, documentary techniques, working experiences, as well as craft and process from her 30+ year career as a documentarian. She will talk about the difficulties of filming in foreign countries and cultures, about the ethics of documentary filmmaking, and her relationship to her subjects.

Longinotto's newest film, "Rough Aunties,"an inspirational film about women-led social change in post-apartheid South Africa, won the Sundance World Cinema Jury Prize in Documentary this year and will be broadcast on HBO in 2010. Another of her films, "Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go," will screen on POV in July. Don't miss this special event with one of documentary film's most unique and accomplished voices!

Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director of Women Make Movies, will moderate the event.

With our final screenplay submission deadline just a week away, we got to thinking – isn’t it time someone helped the creative backbone of our society instead of rewarding those who are destroying it? With that said, we’re very excited to introduce the Screenwriters Bailout 2009! From now thru Wednesday, April 22 at Midnight (EST), you can submit your script to Bridge International Screenplay Competition and pay only50% of the current entry fees! We know times are tight, and you shouldn’t be expected to throw your hard work into a dusty drawer, never to be seen again, just because contest fees are too high. This exclusive opportunity is our gift to you. See, recessions can be fun!

Submitting your work to Bridge Int’l Screenplay Competition puts you in the running for the ultimate promotional package. This is a serious competition – for serious writers. Winners and finalist scripts are relentlessly exposed to the industry’s leading executives, readers, directors, agents and producers from all over the world! This can be your big shot, and with the Screenwriters Bailout, you have no excuses – submit your work today!

I'm involved in a yearly festival of Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts called "Arts Around the Block." Last year we showed my film "Pawtucket Rising"

This year, I am looking for documentary shorts to show to the public during this festival.

I am looking specifically for documentary shorts (under 20 minutes) that have to do with Arts, Economic Development, Architectural History, Revivals of cities.

Because our festival is free, and runs with absolutely no budget, we cannot compensate for playing the films. I will however return the films to you at my cost after showing. I could also make a copy or receive these digitally if possible.

*Please help Women Make Movies in forwarding this post to anyone who might be interested!*

Spacious 1,000 – 3,000 Sq Ft Soho Production Office/Loft Space Available | Short or Long Term Sublease

Gorgeous, sunny loft office sublease space available on Broadway at Grand Street. Located in a landmark building spaces feature hardwood floors, 15 foot ceilings, oversized windows, passenger and freight elevators, 24/7 secured access to building, on-site building super, and up to a four year sublease. Mixed tenant building features architects, media/print/graphics firms and non-profit organizations. Ideal business location in the center of Soho's finest shops and galleries. Conveniently located near 4, 5, 6, N, R, B, D, and F trains.

Volunteer job description:
The Maasai Heritage Preservation Foundation (MHPF) mission is to provide education to communities who do not have access to education. The MHPF have recently opened a school in Kenya for poor Maasai children and, plan to produce a series of video/YouTude documentaries about the school to celebrate the vulnerable children, their disappearing culture and also highlight the achievements and challenges ahead. 46 million children in Africa (which is nearly half the school age population), have never set foot in a classroom. Sadly, the smallest expenses are hampering the enrolment numbers at schools. We believe passionately that EVERY child has the right to an education. It is through education that we believe that we will begin to see change in poor countries.

We are a small, open-minded, and dedicated team looking for a few good people to visit the schools independently in the remote villages in Kenya in order to make the videos. If you are passionate about saving children and their education and would like to help us create this responsible free documentary, we want to hear from you.
The MHPF is currently looking for Video Production Volunteers enthusiastic beginners seeking useful experience and seasoned professionals are welcome. You produce videos about our Maasai schools or other messages mainly for TV broadcast or publishing on YouTube . You coordinate your work with our team in Europe and Kenya.
Your tasks:
- You design, draft and produce short Business-to-Consumer (B2C) videos for The MHPF
- You coordinate your work with the our Team in Europe and Kenya,
- You have ability to work with animations
Our requirements:
- You are willing to do what it takes to produce quality consumer videos, including the technical details (e.g. file conversion)
- Using your own video & sound equipment is a bonus
- Ideally you are a student or have a university degree in film production, graphic design or similar studies or an apprenticeship in these fields
- You understand how to translate a brand into a video format
- You understand the field web/multimedia
- You are totally dedicated to your job and can work 100% self-motivated
- Strong grasp of the English language
- Ideally you are willing or have experience in working remotely for a week or two in harsh climate conditions (remote villages have very minimum necessities such as water, toilets, etc)
- You have strong cross-cultural skills and share our environmental-, social- and cultural-friendly mindset
- Positivity is your way to think (more below)
Location: remote work with Maasai tribes in Kenya
Working times: 5-10h/week
This is a volunteer position. As an early adopter and volunteer team member you will have the chance to help shape the future of an exciting project. We offer an enriching and challenging experience, and the chance to see your responsibilities and desires grow alongside the project.
- You have a positive vibe: you live your life in a positive way and you want to inspire people positively. You are a positive thinker and you like to handle all situations in life with a positive perspective. You understand that in order to improve your own and everybody else's life on this planet one must think positively and inspire other people to think positively.
- You communicate proactively and openly: you understand that positive communication is the key to solving problems. You also know that positive communication is key to raising awareness both inside and outside so that everybody is pulling in the same direction

We are currently in post production on a feature doc with the working title "Give Up Tomorrow." It is a murder-mystery social-justice story set in the Philippines. We already have broadcasts secured with PBS and BBC.

We’re seeking intern(s) to assist with post-production in the New York City area. Responsibilities will vary depending on individual’s skills but will center on media management. The position is unpaid, but we’ll cover transportation and working meals. School credit, general mentorship/advice, and credit on the final film will certainly be provided to excellent interns. The ideal candidate will be: bright, enthusiastic, self-motivated, and patient, – very attentive to detail, interested in the editorial process and documentary filmmaking – able to give 10-20 hours per week to the project (schedule flexible, open to discussion), preferably experienced in Final Cut Pro, and open to learning Photoshop. Offices located in Williamsburg.

Please send your cover letter and resume to michael@thoughtfulrobot.com, indicating your availability as well as your aspirations in the world of filmmaking.

I would be happy to provide you with more information about the project or discuss any questions you might have.

FREE FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT! Production company where I work is selling/giving away a lot of old equipment, including 2 old Avid Meridian systems and G4 computers. All for pick-up at 43 E. 20th Street 7th Floor tonight btw 6 – 7:30 PM.
See the craigslist ad – <http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/gms/1145782934.html> Please don't contact me, use the email in the ad.

Docs In Progress returns to Washington DC on Friday, May 8 with documentary work in progress screenings. The featured films are:

JOE THE BROTHER by Liz Lovern (22 minutes)
A politician running for office rarely runs alone. Few people know this as well as Joe McCain, John McCain's brother. Joe and others on both sides of the political fence reflect on how political campaigning impacts family members of the candidate.

TO SEE by Chris Wohlers and Michelle Lia (41 minutes)
An experiment in experiencing a world without sight leads a filmmaker to a different understanding of blindness.

The screening takes place on Friday, May 8 from 7:00-9:30 pm at the George Washington University's Media and Public Affairs Building (805 21st Street, NW Washington DC). Suggested donation: $5.

The program is organized by Docs In Progress and sponsored by The Documentary Center at the George Washington University. More
information at http://www.docsinprogress.org

Open Source Documentary project called Docummunity. The idea is to aggregate content on a topic in this case it's 'MONEY' and by collecting footage/pictures/audio/music. This will enable a filmmaker who contributes a small amount (say 2 minutes) they will then have access to 200 minutes (if there are only 100 contributors) of stuff to download and use in the production of their very own Documentary.

The idea of mashing and remixing other peoples work, whether complete or incomplete is very exciting to a lot of emerging practitioners. So if you've got something that fits the theme of money – let me know because the site will hopefully go live in 6 weeks and we want to launch it with content already there.

I think it's the future of documentary filmmaking so come along and try it out – you wont be disappointed.

We are a nonprofit educational arts organization with more than 100 collaborators in 8 countries and we are looking for volunteers in Beirut to participate in the project. While participation will not be remunerated, the project offers broad, worldwide exposure for collaborators' work and the opportunity to be a part of a growing and dynamic collective of creative and socially-minded filmmakers.

We are mainly interested in female video camera operators (HVR-A1U and V1U) and producers, fixers or production assistants willing to support the logistics. All candidates should preferably be bilingual and available from May 13th to May 16th for the shoot of the GL Project in Lebanon. While the volunteers are not expected to work all these days they must be available all day on May 14th into May 15th and be able to carry out 3 hour continuos shifts of camera work. Although the shoot only takes place during 24 hours we will have at least two preproduction meetings during this time. The project will take place in a Palestinian refugee camp and will feature a young girl.

Hello there, I'm looking for a web designer and programmer who could build a very clean site with a simple CMS for the client to be able to update news, thumbnail photos, and eventually short video clips. The topic is forest carbon markets and mitigating climate change. Ideally I'd like to work with someone who can polish our design and build the front and back end--and be able to talk about both aspects clearly to non-programmers! The rough layout and content are already finished, and the hosting service and url are set up. If interested please email me at spfoerster@watchstepfilms.com.